


Kacxa Week

by Wanderingcitrus



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 08:59:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16302110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderingcitrus/pseuds/Wanderingcitrus
Summary: Submissions for Kacxa Week 2018, which ran on Tumblr from October 7th thru the 13th.





	1. Day 1: Future

Everything had begun to settle into a new sense of normal after Haggar and the remaining Galra warlords had been defeated. The Galra empire was under new leadership and all was right in the universe. The paladins remained stationed back on Earth, and with Allura able to use the Atlas to create wormholes, they would be able to answer distress calls anywhere in the galaxy if needed, although most of the calls were to assist with rebuilding the paladins were able to rotate in shifts. 

Enjoying the lull in activity, Keith grabbed his jacket and comm’d a message to Acxa to see if she wanted to join him and Kosmo at the market in town. Many of the species that migrated to Earth rebuilt their lives among the humans, and visiting the weekend market was one of his newfound joys, as many of the vendors were familiar faces. Verpit Sal’s even had a more permanent stand set up where he demo’d recipes and sold plates of food his culinary students created.

Keith and Acxa walked hand in hand, Kosmo keeping pace ahead of them as they approached the first row of vendors. They sampled bits of foods and drink at various stands, purchasing a few packages of snacks that Acxa put into the canvas bag she carried. Kosmo most definitely enjoyed the bits of dried and cooked meats that were given to him. There were vendors selling crafts and flowers, and some playing music with a bowl for tips. The atmosphere was relaxing and when they approached a bit of open space by the Arusian musicians, Keith set their bag against the stand and pulled Acxa to dance.

“I’m so bad at this!” Acxa laughed and pushed her fringe away from her eyes. 

“So am I, but who cares?” Keith said as he spun her into his arms. They continued moving to the music and laughing at the look on Kosmo’s face that suggested that they really were as bad as they said. 

“Well, I am parched and could use some sustenance after that workout,” Acxa said as she picked their bag back and pulled a strip of dried meat from within to give to Kosmo. 

“Verpit Sal’s?” Keith asked as he took her hand once more.

The line for food from Verpit Sal’s was quite long but it was definitely worth the wait for the culinary experience. Kindly refusing offers from others to allow the Black Paladin to move ahead in line, Keith and Acxa spoke about their plans to adjust the close combat curriculum at the Galaxy Garrison. Acxa had completed her trails for the Blade of Marmoa not long after the defeat of the Fires of Purification, and they both agreed that the current peace in their universe could change at any time. It was better to be prepared than caught off guard. 

They made their selections and went to find a place to sit amongst the tables when someone called out their names. They made their way to a table where Hunk, Shay, Romelle, and Matt were sitting. 

“Hey, glad you could join us!” Hunk said as they collectively shifted to make room for the newcomers.

“I love coming to the market. I couldn’t ever have imagined something like this.” Shay exclaimed as she glanced around them excitedly. They chattered amongst each other, discussing weapons and technological advancements until their food arrived. Hunk and Matt received notice that Pidge needed them back at base to run a new defense program, while Romelle and Shay decided to continue walking the market and arranged to meet with the guys later. 

Acxa, Keith, and Kosmo finished their meals and continued on to more of the vendors in the market. They stop at a vendor where Acxa stops suddenly. The shopkeeper is selling small stuffed toys of little lions, in so many different colors and patterns, all handmade with care, and she finds her hand inching forward towards a little black one, with its head slightly tilted like its studying her. She smiles thinking how she should want the red one, since Keith was Red when they met and his armor is still red, but then she sees a little black one, and smiles. Remembering how they found each other again and that brief ride in the Black Lion when it was just the two of them. Before she could reach out for one herself, Keith picked the black one up and handed it to her. She glances up a him, a small pout of confusion on her face.

“I already paid for two. Kosmo picked out a blue one. Plus, I have fond memories of us in the black lion.” Acxa cuddles the plush in her arms, knowing that at least she’ll have this little lion to snuggle when the big one has to go away.


	2. Day 3: stars/constellations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for day 3 was stars/constellations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so if you noticed I went from day 1 to day 3. I couldn't find good inspiration for day 2.

It was a slap in the face when the team learned they’d been stuck in the quintessence field for three decaphobes, scarier to think what their families were thinking since they’d been missing in action since they took off in the Blue Lion, but the current delay was necessary to ensure the Lions recharged enough to handle the long trip back to Earth. Pidge and Hunk continued with their calculations, and the remainder of their travelling party busied themselves with taking inventory of their supplies. Acxa was kind enough to offer whatever they needed from her small base of operations as she would soon be meeting up with Pidge’s brother Matt and his group of Coalition fighters. 

“I feel like we can’t thank you enough,’ Keith said as he approached where Acxa had been standing, just far enough to be out of earshot of the the others. “I get the feeling it’s more than just the escape today that I owe you for.” Keith recalled the Kral Zera, when she’d taken a shot against one of the Galra. 

“You saved my life first.” Acxa said. She wrapped her arms around herself and stared up at the stars above them. The same stars she’d been looking at for many a quintant wondering where the paladins had been. Ezor and Zethrid had been right they started to bring up the times she failed to fight him or saved him. 

“In the Weblum?”

She nodded, the fringe of her hair falling across her face. “It meant something to me. Inspired my respect. Imagine my surprise when I heard Hunk ask if you knew who I was, and that you were part Galra.” She walked over to a boulder and took a seat.

Keith inhaled, admiring the graceful way she moved, “I’d only just found out right before that mission. I meant what I said that day about not wanting to leave people to die regardless of whether they were Galra. And you’ve saved my life more than once.”

Acxa looked up at the sky, trying to piece together the various constellations in the sky, seeing a lion in one cluster of stars and it gave her hope. Hope she thought she’d lost. “I’m not keeping score, not looking to have you owe me anything.” She glanced up at him, the hope shining in her eyes.

“Maybe once this is all settled, if everything goes well, we could sit down. Talk about everything? Get to know each other better?” Keith asked.

“I think I’d like that.” Acxa replied with a wistful lift to her lips. Hope bloomed in her chest.


	3. Day 4: Scars

Maybe it was because they had become used to the privacy of both their individual Lions and the Castle of Lions that made the Galaxy Garrison base seem so crowded and clustered, the solitude of space was deeply missed. On top of the Paladins mutual dislike of their cramped living conditions, Keith found himself needing less sleep lately compared to the others so he frequently went to the training simulators to keep in top form. Carrying his duffel bag over his shoulder he rotated his head to pop some kinks from his neck. Maybe running a close combat sim would be just what he needed to get rid of the tension in his muscles. He made his way to one of the less frequented gyms, mostly due to the fact that it was only accessible by three flights of stairs and the showers only had hot water in the dead of night when everyone would rather sleep. 

Even though he knew that his hair would end up plastered to his face by the halfway point of his workout, he tied his hair back before opening the door to the locker room only to stop at the sight before him, Acxa facing away from him, the sight of the bare flesh of her back, peppered with the occasional knife scars some old and a few new, a smattering of deep purple bruising below her shoulders running across to where a fresh laser burn sat low on her waist.

“Shit!” Keith said as he spun to turn the other way, “Sorry! I didn’t know anyone else was here.” He felt his face heat up, the Galran warrior and he had been dancing around each other since she’d helped them get away from Zethrid and Ezor, but there’d been little time in the past few months with mission after mission taking them from one end of the galaxy to another. 

Acxa turned her head away from facing the bank of lockers as she’d been trying to figure out how to best tape the gauze over her recent wound without aggravating the soreness in her body when she heard the sound of the door creak open quickly followed by a muttered curse. She wasn’t sure if she should be thankful for not that it was Keith. She knew he’d be upset that she didn’t report her injuries but she was too tired to deal with the attitude from some of the staff and the equally unpleasant debriefing.

“Wait,” she called, adjusting the towel to cover her front, before twisting to face him, barely hiding the grimace at the pain the action caused, “I think I might need some assistance.” She gestured to the gauze and her side.

Keith turned back towards her, dropping his duffel bag at the door. “What happened?” he calmly asked as he approached the bench and straddled it picking up the gauze and some antibiotic cream.

“Bad intel. Thought the outpost would be abandoned. Turned out to have a few hostiles but we got what we needed without any major issues nothing I couldn’t handle.” 

“A laser burn and that bruising doesn’t exactly look minor.” Keith chastised, partially frustrated at the bad intelligence being fed to their agents and partially with Acxa seeming to brush off her injuries when she was clearly in some pain. He glanced back at her looking up from under the hair in his face, “And I wasn’t implying that you’re incapable.” He sat back resting his hands on his thighs.

“I know, it just hit a nerve.” She crossed her arms across her chest, chewing on her lower lip as she considered how she was going to get her shirt back on when lifting her arms to wash the blood from her hair in the shower was painful enough. “Besides, this-” she tilts her head and gives a pointed glance to the now bandaged burn, “will heal, become another scar. Just another scar with a story, some not as uh, exciting as others.” 

“Exciting?” They both laughed, knowing that was probably not how they’d describe the last few years.

Acxa tilted her head closer and lifted her fringe, a small indentation with a shiny little crease in it, “Banged my head on the corner of a cabinet door in the mess hall. Just enough to give me painful headaches for a few days and a small scab. Fortunately my hair kept it covered.”

Keith chuckled and pulled the neck of his cut off shirt to the side, showing a slice that ran across the top of his right shoulder close to his neck, “Got this one in the Trails for the Blades. We used the healing pods on the Castle, but it still left a scar.”

Acxa pointed to a similar looking scar that ran along the back of her left shoulder, the one closest to him. “Got this from a mercenary in a back alley on a trading planet not long after I left Zethrid and Ezor. Was chasing a lead trying to find some of the rebels that were part of the coalition, but he’s gone now.”

They continued back and forth comparing various scars along their bodies before turning the conversation to more lighter topics after Acxa slowly eased her arms into a loose tunic to cover her top. 

“No way! You stole his car?!” Acxa asked as she laughed as she pictured a tiny Keith, pouty and defiant, speeding away in Shiro’s vehicle. 

Keith pushed his hair out of his face and realized that he was feeling much more relaxed than he had all evening. “Yeah,” he replied sheepishly, “I thought it would just prove that they were all right about me not being fit for something like that, but he saw past it. I still ended up getting kicked out for fighting though.”

Acxa couldn’t fight the exhaustion and let out a jaw cracking yawn. They both agreed that it was getting late and a very long day for her. Keith offered to carry her duffel back to her room for her and with the aches in her body being just enough for Acxa to swallow her pride and accept, she was grateful to be in his company a little longer.

The walk to her room allowed them to continue their conversation, with some light hearted flirting thrown in by both parties. Keith grew bold and entwined their fingers together after their hands hand bumped together for the third or fourth time, before telling her about their adventure at the Space Mall where they’d escaped on the back of a cow.

Once they arrived at the door to her room, Acxa dropped off her bag and turned to see Keith, one arm propped up against the frame of her door. “Thank you, for helping me tonight. I promise I’ll stop by medical in the morning.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Keith replies as he reaches for her hand again. “I was wondering, if you’re given the all clear and there’s no major emergencies, if you’d like to grab a bite to eat in town? Maybe go see a movie?”

Axca returns his smile, “I think I’d like that.” 

“Until tomorrow then.” 

He rubs his thumb across her hand before he turns to go, ready for what tomorrow brings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked writing this prompt out. It was probably the one where it screamed at me to write it.


	4. Day 5: quiet/tender moment in chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When it's the Kogane family's turn to pick the activity for family game night, everything is all fun and games until the competitive nature comes to play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one was a little hard for me, and I went a very different direction from other participants, and I'm not super happy with what I wrote. The ending was hard for me to find, but I think it finished ok.

After peace was brought to the universe following a hard fought battle by the Voltron Paladins and their allies, it was nice to be able just to explore many of the planets that they helped liberate. The Atlas was converted from battleship to well, explorer class battleship and an expedition was launched. Both Hunk and Lance were excited to have their families aboard, and Colleen Holt felt more reassured accompanying her husband and children into space seeing as the last time part of the family went on a mission in space they weren’t exactly home for dinner. Everything was wonderful.

Except that everyone was equally competitive and family game night either ended up with snacks thrown around the room or a shouting match that could be heard across the ship.

They’d tried playing Monsters and Mana, but certain members of the traveling party kept trying to seduce the non playable characters and just so happened to be extremely lucky when rolling for a charisma check. There was video game night but a thrown controller and a few broken parts later no one was really sure who was the winner. Word games only lasted so long before someone played Macaronic and both the board and loose letters went flying with a flipped table. Who would have thought it would be so difficult to just enjoy time with your friends and family?

“Alright, since this is our week to pick the family fun night activity,” Keith started as he handed out different colored long sleeved tees, “we decided to divide everyone in to different teams. The idea here is to be a cohesive unit.”

“Ugh, of course when it’s Keith’s turn to pick the game he makes it into a training exercise!” Lance groaned out as he pulled the shirt on over his tee. 

“Hey, we just thought that since every game night turns into a free for all that we’d give everyone the chance to channel that competitive energy into something a little more physical.” Krolia said as she handed out the chest harnesses to everyone. “There’s a sensor on the front and the back, if it detects the radio frequency from the laser gun, it’ll vibrate to indicate a hit. There’s a more extreme version that will give you a little jolt but nothing too damaging, we’ll leave that for the big kids for later. You’ll start with 100 health and each hit you take will decrease your health pool until you’re eliminated.”

There was a glint of mischief in the eyes of both Pidge, Lance, and Hunk, which only served to reassure Keith that there might be a winner takes all round. He’d have to make sure to stack the teams for that round. 

“Ok, so we’ve loaded two game modes- capture the flag, and free for all. We’ll start with the free for all to get everyone warmed up.”

Acxa was pleasantly surprised to see that Keith and Krolia had decided to have everyone play laser tag for family fun night, but seeing as most nights ended in chaos with both sore losers and winners, at least this would let them work out their frustrations. It was either this or an old Earth game called dodgeball where players threw a rubber gym ball at each other as hard as they could to try to eliminate the other team. While both ideas had merit it was mutually agreed upon that the possibility for injury was almost guaranteed and decided against it. 

The teams were fairly well split, with a mix of the paladins, MFE pilots, Galrans, Alteans, and family members among the two teams. 

“Ha ha Keith, we’ve got your girlfriend!!!” 

“Y’all are going down!”

“But I have the high ground!”

The banter was lively and no one was surprised when Lance’s name jumped to the top of the leaderboard for most damage done. He was their Sharpshooter for a reason.

The capture the flag rounds were more popular as it you could divide up your team into a more stationary defense. Acxa and Krolia enjoyed this round the most being able to utilize their former skills of infiltration to capture the other team’s flags. There was much fun to go around and it seemed like the mix of exercise and mental games was exactly what was needed to keep tempers from flaring. That is until most of the teams decided to take a much needed rest break. The MFE pilots and the Paladins weren’t ones to shy away from competition. And both the need to prove they were better, faster, and a more cohesive unit reared its head.

After a little bit of in your face showboating it was decided. The Paladins, Shiro and Romelle on one team with the four MFE pilots, Veronica, Axca, and Matt making up the other. The playing area was reduced and they were able to modify the training room to provide a more difficult terrain with less sniping perches. 

Once everyone retreated to the viewing platform they would be able to see all the players and all the action. 

Both teams huddled in their designated spawn rooms, and a few of the spectators made guesses as to which team would come out on top. It was obvious from the more fast paced mock battle that they’d all been holding back earlier. The first round was intense and time ran out before either team successfully eliminated the other or captured the flag.

The second round was equally intense with Coran accidentally activating the fog machine. With more limited visibility, and Krolia deciding to turn the lights on their chest packs off, each team had to quickly adapt. The MFE team decided to go all or nothing, balls to the wall aggressive push as a cohesive unit, with Acxa flanking around for the flag.

It was the good kind of adrenaline rush, the need to win rushing through your veins. Commands and callouts were shouted and people were running and ducking, trying to shield their sensors from the laser with their surroundings. 

Acxa rushed her flank, using a ramp to help her gain momentum she dove over a wall and went the long way around. Her team was doing a fabulous job of keeping the Paladins focused on the fight in front of the flag. She tiptoed her way closer, the hint of a smile peeking from her lips. 

“I thought you’d be sneaking up on us.”

Acxa turned slowly to see Keith pop up from behind an obstruction close to where the red flag was clipped. “I’m not surprised you caught me. You know me too well.” 

“Lance was pretty sure that Veronica would insist on using everyone on her team’s strengths to their advantage, and you’ve been on many stealth missions for the Alliance. It was what I would have planned if you were on our team, so it was pretty obvious that would be their play.”

Acxa moved in closer, the shouting behind Keith fading to white noise. “I guess you outsmarted us,” she brushed a strand of hair from his face, “but you forgot one thing.”

Keith gazed softly at her, oblivious to the cheers coming from the viewing platform. “And what’s that?”

Acxa brought her face closer, her lips just grazing his ear. 

“KEITH STOP FLIRTING WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND! MATT HAS THE FLAG!” 

Keith turned away to see Matt closing in on the blue team’s own flag just as he scored the winning point. He about faced quickly to see a sheepish smile on Acxa’s face. 

“Victory or death?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just picture Acxa standing there, with a little shrug like haha gotcha.


	5. Day 6: Cosmic Wolf Bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kosmo and bath time are not best friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blame my dog for the inspiration for this one shot.

Kosmo was not fond of bath time. It was a workout chasing him around the room, and with his ability to transport himself, good luck trying to keep him in the tub long enough to reach for the shampoo bottle. He liked being brushed out though. It kept his coat soft and shiny. Rain showers became mini baths but he couldn’t resist flopping around in the mud puddles. Keith finally accepted that the battle that was bath day would never end.

After a long day of training Acxa was sore and exhausted, the quick shower in the gym might have removed the itchy grit of sweat that her workout had left behind, but her aching body needed something more. The siren song of a hot shower had been calling her name, but she decided that maybe a soak in the tub might be more beneficial, and with Keith running orientation for new recruits, she’d have the solitude to enjoy a long soak. Little pleasures like this were rare and something she’d picked up since arriving to Earth. Before she’d always taken cold showers or soaked in ice to dull the pain away. 

Grabbing a scented bottle of shower gel, she poured a steady amount underneath the spout and made sure the water temperature wasn’t hot enough to scald, but pleasant enough to soothe the soreness out of her muscles. Deciding to head back to their bedroom and grab a change of clothes while the water ran, she stopped by the little fridge that was in their room to quickly down a glass of juice. 

Acxa pulled the long sleeved tee over her head and stopped at the sound of water sloshing out of the tub. Surely it couldn’t have overflowed that quickly? 

She rushed back into the bathroom to see the luxurious bubbles, and Kosmo trying to eat at them. 

“Hey! That was my bath!” She exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips. The wolf looked back at her, fur slicked back and a toothy smile to his muzzle. She giggled as the wolf stuck his nose back into the small mountain of bubbles. Shutting off the flow of water, she was pleasantly surprised to see that he’d not yet teleported away. Slowly rubbing the soapy water into his fur, she continued to scrub at his coat. “Well, seeing as you’ve got your fur in my bath, might as well get you clean, huh buddy?”

“Hey! Kosmo lets you bathe him?” Keith asked astounded at the sight before him. 

“This is the first time. He jumped into my bath water while I was grabbing my clothes. Bath thief.” She replied, glancing up at him as she rinsed the suds from his fur. Kosmo jumped out of the bath, before shaking the moisture from his fur, flinging water all over. 

“Well, at least we know he likes bubble baths.”


	6. Day 7: Sparring/Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith hears and sees little snippets of his future while in the Quantum Abyss. And then they start to come to pass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cheated a little by using so much of the show dialogue.

Keith could feel every second of time that passed while he and his mother were in the Quantum Abyss. Could see it in the way his hair fell across his face and the way his body felt stiff in the mornings. It didn’t help that the wolf forced him to curl this way and that around him when they slept at night. Their comms didn’t pick up any transmissions and he had no way of knowing what his friends and the Castle of Lions were going through. 

Seeing the flashes of the past and how his mother ended up on Earth, how much she loved him when he was born, and now learning of how much it hurt for her to sacrifice being with the ones she loved to protect them and the universe. He’d been wrong thinking that she’d left because she didn’t care. He’d seen flashes of what he assumed was his future too. 

_“Look Acxa, it’s your favorite paladin.”_

_“I guess it is true love.”_

The next flash showed him and the Galra general together with the wolf, curled up together fast asleep. He didn’t recognize the surroundings, but was able to gather that they were still in space from the minimal furnishings in the room. His hair was still unruly, but there weren’t much indicators to show how far into his future he was seeing.

*******

“Acxa saved our skin. I’m not gonna leave her behind.”

Keith took off towards the sounds of a scuffle, shield activated to stop what was sure to be a crushing blow from her former teammates, he dove in front of Acxa only to pause when he heard a phrase he’d heard once before.

“Oh look, Acxa. It’s your favorite paladin.”

“So do you guys actually know each other?”

“Yeah, don't you remember how she never wanted to kill him?”

“I guess it is true love.”

It was startling to relive a memory, but even more so to realize that the banter he’d heard in the Quantum Abyss was happening during a fight. 

“Can’t we just fight?” He said, lunging forward. 

Following their getaway, Keith and Acxa settled into the Black Lion. She’d given him coordinates to a nearby moon that would allow them to resupply and rest before continuing on their way. 

“I’m sorry about that,” she replied, still laying on the floor of the cockpit behind his chair, clutching at her side. “Back there with Zethrid and Ezor.”

Keith remained still, trying to process his thoughts and feelings before turning to face her, but she must have taken his silence for anger or displeasure, as she had left the cockpit area. He found her when she exited the bathroom, a damp towel pressed against her jaw.

“Is it true?” He asked as she stopped at the sight of him in the hallway.

Acxa stood there, staring just over his shoulder. “They knew that I missed the shot on your Lion. A shot that was locked on. Lotor was quite vocal in his castigations. And then they saw me help you at the Kral Zera.”

He nodded slowly, remembering when they locked eyes after she’d taken the shot, face set in a grimace, he was trying to piece together everything, but again she mistook the sullen look on his face.

“I’m sorry if I’ve made things difficult for you.” She sidestepped around him and made herself busy as she remove her armor to determine what needed to be repaired or scrapped, effectively dismissing herself.

They didn’t speak the rest of the way.

****

“It led me to you.”

Acxa excused herself from the group around the campfire and ducked below the sheet that sheltered the pallet she’d made in to her bed along the floor. 

“Acxa wait,” Keith called as he followed behind her. 

He smiled softly at her, “Do you believe in fate?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it's for Kacxa Week! Had fun writing for this pairing. I just hpe the characters all get to be happy at the end of the season.


End file.
